IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

IELTS is one of the most reputable English language assessment tests in the world. This test is organized by Cambridge University, British Cultural Council and IELTS Center Australia. The IELTS test is accepted by a large number of universities and employers from around the world including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, England, and the United States.

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This test has two different versions:

  • Academic
  • General

The academic test is required to studying at universities, and the general test is required for employment purposes.

IELTS evaluates four English language skills:

  • Reading
  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • Writing

The only difference between general IELTS and academic IELTS is in the reading and writing part. The other two parts of the test have no difference.

How the IELTS test is conducted

The duration of the IELTS test is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. It should be noted that the oral part of this test will be held separately on another day, in the form of an in-person interview, for 11 to 14 minutes. The score of this test is from 0-9. There is no pass or fail outcome for this test, rather your grade must be enough for your educational or employment purposes. In general, 5 is considered an average score and 6.5 and above is considered a good score.

 

The first part of IELTS (Listening)
  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Number of questions: 40 questions in 4 sections
  • The audio for this section is played only once for the participants.
  • You will have the opportunity to check the questions before the broadcast.
  • Answers to the questions must be written in the answer sheet in 10 minutes.
The second part of IELTS (Reading)
A) General Reading:
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Number of questions: 40 questions
  • In this section, the participants must answer the questions related to three relatively easy general English texts.
  • This section, unlike the listening section, does not provide additional time to transfer the answers from the question book to the answer sheet.
  • The materials that are used for the participants in this section are selected from books, magazines, and general pamphlets, and special knowledge is not required.
B) Academic Reading:
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Number of questions: 40 questions
  • In this section, the question booklet includes three texts that contain between 2000 and 2700 words in total.
  • The materials used in this section are selected from scientific books and magazines.
The third part of IELTS (Writing)
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • This section has two parts:
  • In the first part, you must write a 150-word text about the presented topic in 20 minutes.
  • In the second part, you must write an essay in 250 words in 40 minutes. Keep in mind that if the number of words in your text is less than the required amount, you will face a mark deduction.
The fourth part of IELTS (Speaking)

The speaking part of the IELTS test includes a face-to-face interview with the official IELTS interviewer.

  • Duration: 11 to 14 minutes
  • This section consists of three parts:
  • The first part is about the general information, interests, work status, and education of the applicant.
  • The second part consists of a primary question with several secondary questions (Cue Card), which you have about 1 minute to prepare yourself for 90 seconds of speaking.
  • In the third part, you should have a more scientific conversation with the interviewer for 4-5 minutes.